47 labs anyone heard their ware?

[muralman1]

I am searching for a new transport.

 

[JackD201]

I have the Shigaraki transport and DAC combo which I use with my Stax 404s. Unfortunately I'm one of those guys that has a heck of a hard time telling apart the sound of transports. DACs are much easier for me. All in all I find the most basic 47 labs combo to be very satisfying in that they don't do anything wrong really. The presentation is on the relaxed side, something others might call organic.

 

[muralman1]

Thank you for responding, Jack,

I learned that transports do make a difference when audio guys visited here some years ago and told me my sound has great detail, but is dark sounding. I sent my transport, a PSA Lambda and Audio Note DAC to my amp builder friend to see what he could do. He changed the diodes in both the transport and the DAC. He told me, "The change in the transport made more of a difference than in the DAC." I believe him, though I didn't have a way to tell for myself. My over ten year old Lambda is starting to go through death throws. I am looking at the Flatfish, or the Shigaraki, because I really like 47 Lab's points of view. My Audio Note DAC with the boosted diodes is organic, but also exciting to listen to.

I heard the Audio Note transport and compared to my Lambda it distorted the sound rather badly.

 

[mullard88]

47 lab makes three transports. I auditioned all three in a single day. I heard both the pitracer and flatfish with the better 47 dac; while the shigeraki, I listened to with its matching dac. The pitracer is so good it is unbelievable. Unfortunately, so is it's price. In the end I settled for two flatfish transports. One I use in an all 47 lab system and the other I use with the Berkeley dac.

 

[muralman1]

Mullard, am I understanding you listened to the various transports with their matching DACs? This is only the second time I heard about the Pitracer.

 

[mullard88]

Hi muralman1,

I heard the pitracer and the flatfish with the progression dac; while the shigeraki transport, I heard matched to the shigeraki dac.

 

[muralman1]

mullard88, I don't know quite what to make of that. It would be nice to know your opinion of what you heard. I will have the Flatfish and Humpty here in two days.

 

[mullard88]

Hi muralman1,

I listened to the pitracer with the 4705 progression dac, then to the flatfish with the 4705 progression dac, and lastly to the shigeraki 4716 transport with the 4715 dac.

The amplification was provided by a 25 watt 47 lab gaincard. Speakers were the Watt/Puppy series 7. Wiring were all Ota cables by 47 lab.

For my listening tastes, the pitracer with the 4705 progression dac is the best. For me, the combination of the pitracer with the 4705 progression dac was so good that it I would rate it up there with my analogue set-ups. The thought of giving up all that I had and just live with this system actually occurred to me. The sound was very liquid and very lush. The effect on me was just like my Koetsu experience. The system tells me this is how it should sound. And it sounds beautiful, period. There was an unforgettable sense of dimensionality which was as solid as what I sense on good lps. The musicians are not holographic but I sense they are solidly present in the flesh. This experience was unforgettable and to this day, this is one of my dream systems.

The flatfish with the 4705 progression dac didn't sound bad. It was very liquid as well. But falls short of the pitracer. I certainly agree with you that the transport do make a difference.

If not for the pitracer, I would be very happy with the flatfish. I thought about the pitracer for more than a year but just could not convince myself to pay the price. I ended up with the flatfish / 4705 progression dac. I was fortunate enough to hear a flatfish / Berkeley dac combination early this year and I was impressed enough to purchase this combination. To my ears, this combination sounds superior to the flatfish / 4705 progression only when the Berkeley dac is run directly into the power amps. But based on my memory, the pitracer / 4705 progression dac is still the best.

Have fun with the flatfish. I am interested on your impressions of the flatfish's performance in your system.

 

[muralman1]

I have the Flatfish playing all by itself. My AN DAC is out of state getting a listening to. Though it is not here, I would say the AN modified DAC is the winner. The clock is quite good on the Flatfish. It just sounds thin in comparison of the AN DAC. That may be because the AN has tubes. I am no fanatic about tubes. Separation is not as good either. I look forward to hearing the AN against this DAC. Can you give me an idea what the

 

[mullard88]

Hi muralman1,

I never knew the flatfish could play all by itself. Your post seems incomplete. On another matter, if I may ask, do you paint murals?

 

[muralman1]

I don't paint murals anymore. I have a disability that causes me to fall. I hope this Flatfish is a better transport than a CD player. This is one of the older ones. I have been using a PSA Lambda, juiced with a diode change. It is a sublime transport. It has serious drawer and reading issues now, after 11 years.

 

[muralman1]

Another report. For those reading this who don't know what a quirky transport the Flatfish is, It is basically a rectangular thick aluminum plate from which the circuit, laser, and clock hang. There are three very very touch legs it is suspended from. Those legs have to be, "Tuned." The best tuning is when each of the three are centered perfectly into their cupped receptacles in the aluminum plate.

Yesterday, I had the venerable, "Book of Roses," on. It was the last of a trail of CDs. In the beginning of this disc there are crow calls. We have a good share of crows around here, and that is one bird call I know well. Last night they sounded like crow ghosts. I noticed the front support was slightly ajar. I thought little of it.

This morning, the Vollenweider disc was still loaded. I spent some time straightening the posts just right, and spun the disc. To my surprise, and relief, the crows sounded live. The disc is still running as I type. It is at it's flamenco stage. The shoe hits are rhythmic, and very real sounding. All the variable mini dynamics reveal the dancer's skill.

This is the first time there have been no tubes in my system. Without the euphonics the sound can be described dry by a tubeaholic. But, there isn't a hint of grain noticeable. Decay seems adequate. I will know if it really is later on.

Now the, "Book of Roses," has moved into that maiden stranded on seagull island. Hmmmmm. I think my Audio Note is better here. That DAC should be back from a friend's house soon. I am concentrating on the sea gull calls. They didn't sound quite right.

I know this sound is not the equivalent of the 47 Labs Progression DAC. It isn't the equivalent of my super mod AN DAC either. I am not concerned with that. I need this transport/DAC to be able to relay the CD digital information faithfully to my DAC. That is something I will find out. I have also ascertained the Flatfish is too old to have on board modern ultra fast recovery diodes. I see a mod in the future.

Now the Jesuit monks are singing a chant. While the procession is making it's way around, the alter boy rings a little bell. That is quite good.

Ok, this will be the transport or nothing. When my AN DAC comes back I will make the decision. After all this is a transport. New Flatfish do not have a DAC on board, and that is a good thing. Not that the new transports are better. 47 labs says they are not. It's just, that the inferior DAC on board will give the discerning listener some misgivings.

Sandovall's disc showed the problem with the on board DAC. His bugle playing has bite, as it should, but also is irritatingly bright, and it shouldn't. The recording was made with a ribbon mic. It is one of the best I have; a real tester of fine system equipment. I am sure it will make a great transport, and I can't wait to hear it doing it's native job.

 

[muralman1]

Talking to myself isn't my cup of tea, but if someone cares to check in, this is my finding. My AN DAC proves the on board DAC just isn't made for fine music. Now, everything that I could tell, the transport is a keeper, as a transport. My AN DAC gives all the dynamic changes my system is capable of. The treatment of the bass is excellent. I have that wonderful horn ensemble disc, Canadian Brass, on. The tuba is there in all it's articulate deep voice. My former Lambda just wasn't able to separate the tuba from the other horns.

I made another change. I bought Paul Speltz's true digital cable. I haven't been able to try it against my old standby, Belden, yet. I do believe the Spelz will win out.

Oh my oh my, I have that well recorded piano solo by Brickman. The lows are to die for. This is why my neighbors believe I am a piano player. I do play it loud enough to be nearby. Brickman likes to let notes run on a lot. I can hear the soundboard a lot more now than I use to. I could hear the foot pedals before, but now they sound like foot pedals. Brickman use to sound more frenetic, now it is sweeter, and mellower. Mmmmmm this is fine, so fine.

 

[muralman1]

Me again again again agai aga ag aaaaaa

Further musings on this fun little toy. I put on a perfect CDR disc of perfect quality. It is a compilation of Julie London songs. Towards the end, the music started skipping. I thought, maybe I missed seeing a scratch, or finger print, but no, the disc is perfect. I thought to myself, if this player is going to be so picky, that will cancel out me listening to old discs bought in my youth. They are totally sanded. To my surprise, I have one really gnarly surfaced CD on now. There have been no skips.

Returning to sound, I am more and more astonished at this little transport's abilities. I shouldn't be, as one reviewer compared it to a new CEC transport which was shamed. The sound is eerily exact, while always keeping to the melody. Bass is very tight, and musical. Mids and highs run seamlessly to the stratosphere. This is the best sound I have had here.

I will do some digital cable comparisons by and by. I want to find out how much of this sound is cable relevant. The Speltz triple shielded digital cable is doing the honors now.

The scratched disc, one of many a disc jockey compiled for me, I still playing without one hiccup. Right now a woman's voice is weaving through the heavy bass beats asking, "Oh why oh why did I ever smoke marijuana...." This is one disc that makes you really have smoked a weed.

 

[muralman1]

And another report. Something is breaking in. My preamp came back not to long ago after getting a next level beyond best upgrade. The builder loved it so much he kept it on his system for a week. That is probably still breaking in. The digital cable is new, but I don't buy into wires breaking in. The Flatfish has been run in before I bought it. I guess it is the preamp. Anyway, this music keeps getting better and better. It is getting fuller, the highs sweeter, and the contrasts between soft an LOUD are hair raising. I have the Kronos's homage to Jewish music on now. That goes from whisper quiet to screeching loud. By screeching, I am by no means meaning bright. The horn section is emphatic at sections, and really raise the roof on some passages. You have to turn the volume very high to get the full volume shifts.

 

[mullard88]

Hi muralman1,

Please keep posting.

 

[muralman1]

Hi muralman1,

Please keep posting.

Oh, mullard88, thanks for the visit. Thanks to you, my congregation has doubled. There are twice as many readers as before. We are heading for the foothill wineries shortly. As a filler, I have on a disc only a precious few have. It is a compilation of heavenly tunes called, "Emanuel's Private Collection." In less than a couple days, I will have run through all my CDs. This is a crisis. I need more music.

 

[mullard88]

muralman1,

Have fun. I was told that a little alcohol makes great strides in making a system sound better. It won't be bad to listen to your favorite tunes a second time and it might be worth your while to listen to a cd by Blue Coast Record if you haven't heard any recordings from this label yet. On my flatfish decoded by the Berkeley dac, one of my listening buddies told me that it was almost like listening to analogue.

 

[muralman1]

muralman1,

Have fun. I was told that a little alcohol makes great strides in making a system sound better. It won't be bad to listen to your favorite tunes a second time and it might be worth your while to listen to a cd by Blue Coast Record if you haven't heard any recordings from this label yet. On my flatfish decoded by the Berkeley dac, one of my listening buddies told me that it was almost like listening to analogue.

We are lucky where we live. There are wineries situated in beautiful settings in every direction. A Sunday ride punctuated by sips of lovely wine is divine.

You must know how much the Flatfish assists your Berkeley DAC.. I read a review of the Berkeley DAC. If it really performs as the review states, then you should be enjoying the music too.

 

[muralman1]

I got to run Nojima playing piano (Reference Recordings) "Nojima Plays Liszt." This is the equal of the very best, if not better than any other piano recording. The marvelous thing about my amps and preamp is they run so clean of artifact I can dial the volume knob to when the playing is filling the room with authority. The sound stays pure, just live. The pounding of the low notes hits you in the gut. When a particularly energetic run is done, the strung strings and sound board are still resonating. This richness underpins the virtuoso playing by Nojima.

This Flatfish is surprising the heck out of me.

Mullard88, what did you set your Flatfish on?